Under the concrete bridge
by RomyDDekker
Summary: It's close to Christmas, and 6 homeless young men are bound to celebrate it under the concrete bridge they call home. All of them have something to wish for this winter, although some wishes are simpler than others. AU Human names.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi there! I've had the idea of writing this fanfic all week, and finally put my thoughts into words.**  
**This fic will go into the backstories of the characters each chapter, beginning with Arthur's.**  
**Enjoy everyone!**

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It was nothing new, the way a blond young man with glasses was leaning against the wall of the corner shop. Smoking something. God knew what.  
It wasn't new, the way the French man next to him was reaching out to take it away from him and trying to talk him out of it by saying it would be bad for his pretty face. It wasn't new, how the British blonde with bushy brows was sneakily reaching out for the bottle of cheap wine in the left hand of the Frenchman while he wasn't paying attention. It wasn't new, how a scruffy looking American teenager had fallen asleep next to him, his head tilted to the side and his glasses sliding off the bridge of his nose. It wasn't new the way a small Italian boy was chatting away sleepily to himself and his Japanese friend whom he shared his blanket with, keeping the rest of them awake.  
The new thing was, the layer of snow that had covered the city in the past few days.  
It was the creeping cold that made them unable to sleep properly at night, and forced them to crop up together even closer than they normally had to.  
Regular people would say December brought friends and family close together, but the closeness these people had wasn't optional, It was inescapable.  
If your home consisted of 3 blankets you had to share with 6 persons, and a concrete bridge where it froze over the night sometimes, you were required to do so.

"Is Alfred asleep?" Matthew asked softly, moving away from the hand of the man next to him.  
"We're not answering until you stop smoking whatever the hell you are smoking. " Was the response of the British man next to Alfred.  
"You're one talking Arthur." Matthew sighed, but he pressed the cigarette out on the concrete floor beneath them anyway.  
"Matthieu throw that filthy stub away, I don't want to wake up with it sticking on my face." Francis grunted. He opened the bottle in his hand and downed a few gulps of the alcoholic drink. Arthur snorted and watched over to his right to take a look at the American youngster.  
"Maybe you do, but I wouldn't mind you waking up with that." He commented dryly, taking the glasses of Alfred's nose and folding them up.  
Francis threw him an angry look, but was too tired to give the Briton a piece of his mind.  
"So is he asleep or not?" Matthew asked again, throwing the bud of his cigarette into the river.  
"Yes he's asleep." the Japanese man answered him from Alfred's other side. "And Feli?" It took a second for the Japanese to turn to his other neighbor before he nodded. "He is too." Matthew gave a relieved sigh. If the two loudest persons had fallen asleep, It wouldn't take a long time for the rest to do so too.  
"Then I'm next." Francis decided, turning his back to Arthur. "Not if its me." Arthur answered while doing the same thing.  
A cold gust of wind blew beneath the bridge, and caused the Briton's teeth to start clattering. And it didn't take a long time before Francis turned around angrily. "Mon Dieu, rosbif, man up and go to sleep, you are loud!" "Shut up frog, I can't help that this greedy American is rolled up in almost all of our blanket!" Arthur called out offended. He pushed Francis's face away and growled.

"Ssh, you guys…" Matthew whispered desperately, but it was already too late, Alfred had already woken up.  
The American dropout blinked tiredly, and rubbed his eyes. "Wassap dudes, why is everybuddy yellin' at eachotha " He muttered hoarsely.  
"It's because I'm cold. Because of you." Arthur stated. He crossed his arms, trying to hold on to the warmth.  
The American yawned and watched Arthur through half lidded eyes for a few seconds, then turned around to lie on his stomach.  
"You wanker!" Arthur cried out offset. Alfred frowned at the loudness of the Briton, and shrugged the blanket of his shoulders, taking it in his hand and pulling the blond man closer to him. "M'sorry, but shh now you-wakin' up everyone." Alfred muttered, burying his nose in Arthur's hair, he frowned in discontent.  
"Ya hair stinks." "Y-yeah!? Well you try and get your hair smell good out here, you bloody git!"

A couple of 'Sssssh"-es were exchanged, and it didn't take long before Alfred had fallen asleep again. Soon followed Kiku and Matthew, then, a couple of minutes later Francis fell asleep too. Arthur couldn't fall asleep though, first he had been too flushed, and now, the soft snores of the people around him kept him from falling asleep. He opened his eyes and stared at the young man he was sharing his blanket with. Alfred had been pretty sick the past few weeks, and Arthur felt a bit guilty for him blaming to steal all of the blanket, he needed it most after all.  
They had known each other for almost two years now, Christmas eve 2011, Arthur still remembers every time he sees the other.  
He had been twenty-two at that time, and had decided that Christmas would be an appropriate time to come out to his family.  
They hadn't picked up well at all. Arthur had expected them to be disapproving, disappointed even.  
But never had he expected his mother to slap him straight in the face, and the rest of his family to stare at him, horrified.  
His oldest brother had been was the first one to speak up, although he actually had spat it out than say it.  
"I've always known you were a bleeding fag, Arthur." His mother had glared at him, and had walked back to her seat.  
After a while the rest of Arthur's family had followed and they just had pursued their meal, leaving Arthur for who he was. Ignored and disposed him.  
At the end of the night, his father had taken him apart, and had asked him to leave. Arthur had been speechless, and had stared at him in disbelieve.  
"Your mother doesn't want to see your face anymore, and neither do I. You're a dishonor to your family, Arthur."  
With those words, Arthur had continued celebrating his Christmas in the Subway station. An empty six-pack of beer cans next to him and tears streaming down his face. That was where Alfred and Matthew had walked in. Or at least Alfred walked, and a unconscious Matthew was being dragged with him, half thrown over the boy's shoulders. Alfred had given him a worried glance and half a smile.  
"Merry Christmas." Arthur had looked up with a sob and shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "I don't see what's so merry…" he had muttered.  
"Can I sit down?" "It's not my subway, of course you can." Alfred had gently placed his unconscious brother on the ground, and went to sit down next to him. "But that means I'm going to ask why you are drunk and crying at Christmas eve." "But that doesn't mean I'll have to answer." Arthur had answered cynically "But you will, right?" Arthur had told him, he had told the friendly stranger his whole life story till that point.  
And Alfred had listened to him, all the way, without interruptions. And anyone who had known Alfred right then, would have known that was a very unlike thing for him to do. And After Arthur was done talking, Alfred had placed an hand on his shoulder, and told him; "Don't worry dude, you don't have to be alone anymore." And Arthur had bawled his eyes out.

"Arthur?" The Briton awoke from his daydream and instantly met the American's gaze. "What's up dude, what are you crying for?"  
Arthur blinked, and rubbed his eyes, surprised to find them being watery, but didn't answer.  
"Still cold?" Arthur shook his head offended, and gave Alfred's forehead a weak push. "I don't cry because of stuff like that, you idiot. I'm not a 3-year-old!"  
Alfred just chuckled at him. "What's it then?" It took Arthur a while to answer, because he didn't exactly know himself.  
"It's because it's almost Christmas." He answered finally.  
The American gave a understanding nod, and embraced the Briton fully, but Arthur pushed him away and turned around.  
"Don't Alfred." "But you're warm and you look like you can use a hug." "Those are both lies."  
"Arthur.." The way the American muttered his name with a sigh send shivers through Arthur's spine, and he flushed beet red.  
"Don't be so difficult, I'm just trying to help." Arthur nodded, and tried to cool himself down until he was brave enough to face him again. He tried to smile.  
"What would you like for Christmas, Alfred?" Alfred smiled back at him and closed his eyes.  
"I want you and Mattie to be happy." Arthur flushed again and looked away. "I-I mean for yourself, you idiot." "You want to give me a present?" Alfred asked. Arthur didn't answer. "I would like a hamburger… some fries maybe..." "This is not the MC-drive, you tosser." Alfred chuckled again.  
"What do you want then?" he asked, peeking through one eye at Arthur. Arthur sighed and crawled back to him to press his face against the American's chest. "I would like some place warmer to stay than beneath a concrete bridge." Alfred smiled and ran a hand through the Briton's hair.  
"I'll get you one." "No you won't" "Okay, maybe not, but I'll do my best!" Arthur shook his head and chuckled. "I bet you will."  
Alfred repressed a yawn and pulled the blanket a bit more up. "Shouldn't we go to sleep or something?" "My idea, how did you wake up in the first place?" Alfred grinned. "My hero sense was tingling." Arthur rolled his eyes "Oh, do shut up." "Can't I say goodnight first?" "Okay I'll let that pass." "Goodnight, Artie."

Arthur looked up at him and saw him smiling brightly at him. He really had tried not to fall in love with the American boy, but he couldn't help doing it a little bit more every day. The fact that they lived under a concrete bridge didn't seem to bother the young man, he would adjust and be his happy self, as long as the people he cared for were happy too. The whole reason Alfred became homeless was his brother's drug addition, though he never blamed him the slightest. Even though Alfred didn't have a future, lost all of his family, could barely read because of his lack of an education, and on top of all, had to share a blanket with a guy that was gay for him, Alfred didn't care, Alfred would put up with it. Alfred would be happy with a hamburger for Christmas, maybe some fries. And Arthur didn't know if he loved or hated it.

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**That's chapter 1! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks everyone for the reviews :D**  
**It makes me happy to know people are actually enjoying it.**  
**I'll try to update every day untill new year, where I hope to finish it off.**  
**So here's chapter 2!**

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It was a typical morning for the young men.  
They were startled awake by the honking of the cars in a traffic jam, or an ambulance, or a combination between the two.  
It was one of the downsides of being homeless in a big city. Or maybe it just was one of the downsides of living under a concrete bridge. They still had to figure.  
Somehow the Italian always managed to stay asleep despite the circumstances, and Matthew couldn't help but being a bit jealous at him.  
The Canadian was usually the first one to wake up by the sound of honking cars.  
He walked over to the canal and crouched down, dipping his hands in the cool water.  
It helped to calm down his bonking heart, and wake up a little at the same time. He needed a cigarette.  
But when reached for the back pocket of his jeans, his hand got grasped in mid-air.  
"Don't even think about it." The voice of his brother threatened.  
Matthew turned around, and saw him shaking his head with a grin.  
"I thought you were still asleep?"  
"My hero sense was tingling."  
Matthew rolled his eyes at him and pulled his hand from his brother's grasp.  
"If I'm going to charge you for every time you say that I'd be a millionaire, Al."  
Alfred chuckled. "Aww, I don't say it that often."  
Matthew raised his brow and turned back to the canal. "You said it last night?"  
Alfred frowned in thought and scratched his chin. "Oh wait, I did say it to Artie, didn't I? Weren't you sleeping?"  
Matthew shrugged, and watched how Alfred sat down next to him. He reached for his back pocket again, and this time Alfred didn't stop him.  
"You shouldn't tease him so much, Al."  
Alfred frowned, and watched his brother light his cigarette. "I didn't tease him at all! I was trying to help him."  
"You know what I mean."  
It was Alfred's turn to shrug, and Matthew watched him closely until he brought the cigarette to his lips, and Alfred stood up to walk back to the rest.

"Bon matin." A sleepy Frenchman greeted him.  
"It's called 'Good morning' here, you frog."  
"Grumpy as always I see?"  
"Shut up."  
Alfred watched as Arthur crossed his arms and pulled his feet up, his face still groggy and his hair a mess.  
Kiku was poking Feliciano awake, and Francis combed his hair with his fingers. It was like this every morning.  
"Hi guys."  
"Good morning, Alfred." Kiku greeted him with a nod. "Did you sleep well?"  
Alfred grinned and went to sit down next to him. "Yeah, I slept alright! Need a little help there?"  
"If you don't mind…"  
Alfred shrugged, and reached out for Feliciano to wake him up, but stopped halfway when suddenly the loud alarm of a car made the Italian shock awake.  
All eyes went up as the alarm continued and was almost overruled by the sound of two yelling persons.  
"What the bloody hell is going on out there?" Arthur dared to ask.  
Feliciano sleepily stretched himself, and raised himself to a sitting position.  
Matthew stood up and walked over to the rest of the men. "Maybe we should take a look, eh? It sounds pretty serious."  
"Maybe it's best not to mingle with them." Francis muttered.  
"I HATE YOU GILBERT FUCKING BEILSCHMIDT." a high pitched scream echoed through the bridge, and with a slam of a car door the alarm stopped.  
Everyone was silent, and wondered if it was over, until another slam of a door proved them wrong.  
"Liz! Wait up, gott verdammt…"  
A young brown haired lady came stumbling down the hill and strained her ankle, which made her fall over.  
Alfred was fast enough to catch her before she fell on the ground.  
"Are you okay miss?" The girl looked up at him, and burst into tears.  
"T-Thank youuhoou!" she sobbed loudly and wrapped both of her arms around the American's neck.  
Alfred's eyes widened, and gave the rest of the group a puzzled look from over her shoulder.  
"I would have.. I would have died right there and-"  
"Dammit Liz."  
A young man had slid down the hill unnoticed while everyone had been staring at the girl. His hair was white and his eyes were red and worried.  
The girl looked up and let go of Alfred, turning around to face him.  
She swallowed thickly and dropped her gaze, then started to tear up again.  
The albino gave the rest of them an apologizing look and walked over to take the girl in his arms.  
"Ssh. Liz. It's going to be alright okay. You don't have to worry. It's all gonna be good."  
He stroked her hair and it didn't take long before she started to calm down a little.  
Everyone seemed astonished, but Feliciano watched at the two with an adoring smile and muttered a small 'How romantic'.  
The man seemed to notice and gave the Italian a cheeky grin.  
"Wish it was little man. I'm not sure if finding out your best friend is pregnant with your baby when she's about to get married by some rich asshole is going to make it into a bestseller." The girl yanked out of his embrace and spitted in his face.  
"You Gilbert Beilschmidt are by far the biggest asswipe on the fucking planet, and I hope they'll flush you soon."  
Francis whistled and Alfred whispered an 'Ohh shiiiiit.' But the man didn't seem affected.  
"Glad you shared that one with us Liz." He anwered with a shiteating grin, whipping the spit from his face with the hem of his sleeve, then he turned over to the rest of the gang.  
"Do you guys live here or something? Damn man that must suck balls, it's fucking freezing out here. Not really a Christmas-feeling…"  
Silence.  
"So you do huh..?" he kicked the floor and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Well damn."  
"Wow Gil, this takes being an asshole to a whole new level." The girl snorted.  
She looked up at the group and gave them a warm smile. "Hey, you guys up for a warm drink? Gilbert here treats."  
Feliciano had already ran over and took the girl's hands in his. "Thank you so much, bella!"  
Kiku walked after him and looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group. Alfred shrugged and followed.  
Matthew followed his brother, and Francis and Arthur didn't feel like staying behind together, and soon they were all packed in the Albino's RV.

The man himself was brewing a pot of coffee and the girl went to sit with the young men at the table.  
"So this is Gilbert, and my name is Elizabeta. I am so sorry for what just happened, I'm a few days from my due, and the hormones are having the best of me sometimes."  
"NO WAY! You are nine months pregnant already?" The eyes of the young American grew wide, and he stared at the unusual pair with a wide grin.  
The brunette smiled tiredly at him "I thought that would be kind of obvious seeing my belly is huge as it is…" she tried.  
"It would be like the Navity! Born on Christmas night!" The bubbly Italian cheered, peeking over the shoulders of the taller person in front of him.  
"Miss Elizabeta would be Maria, and Mister Gilbert would be Guiseppe! And Alfred and me would be the shepherds! And the RV would be the stable! And the wise men would be-"  
"Certainly not you and Alfred." Arthur broke in, rolling his eyes.  
"Well no!" The American answered surprised. "We would be the shepherds, didn't you hear him Artie?"  
The Briton shook his head in misery and quickly nodded as Gilbert offered him a cup of coffee.  
It was the first time in his life he had agreed to drink the black liquid instead of tea.  
"I would be one of the Wise men, wouldn't I Feliciano?" The French man asked the small Italian, as he and Alfred went to sit down again.  
Feliciano nodded. "Si! You, and Kiku.. and maybe Arthur too." The Japanese man gave Feliciano a small smile, and Arthur just nodded approving.  
"But who would the angel be?" Gilbert asked, while he poured the last of the coffee into a mug for himself.  
It went silent, and all eyes moved to the one person left.  
"Matthew would." Francis voiced everyone's thoughts.  
The whole group agreed with a nod, and the Canadian flushed red and chocked on the coffee he had just brought to his mouth.  
"I am no angel!" he argued softly. "I mean, I do drugs, ran away from home, I've spent all the money people worked hard for and-"  
Alfred swung an arm over the sputtering blond, shutting him up.  
"And you're always helping and giving advice to people who need it."  
"Then we're all complete!" Gilbert grinned. "Maybe we should call the baby Jesus, Liz."  
Elizabeta frowned at him and shook her head. "Idiot."

Bu Matthew had started to shiver. His hands shook and he slowly set the mug in his hands back on the table.  
He shook his head fiercely and stood up, running over to the door of the RV and barged through.  
He ran back down the hill, and fell on his knees while he searched his way to the blanket he shared with Francis each night.  
His breath chocked, but tears wouldn't come. He wasn't the one who should be an angel. It was his brother.  
Matthew should've died in the accident 7 years ago, when his parents did.  
Matthew wouldn't have to wake up with a trauma every morning he was awoken by the sound of a honking car.  
Alfred would never had to work 3 shifts a day at his young age and fail middle school because of it.  
And Matthew would never had done drugs, and spent all of Al's money he worked so damn hard for, without him knowing until it was gone.  
Alfred would've lived a happy life, and would have become the successful young man he was destined to be.  
Then Matthew would be an angel for real, because he would still have been pure hearted. But now he was pretty much the opposite.

"Mattie?"  
Matthew looked up, fists clasping the blanket in his hand in agony. "Al…"  
Alfred sat down next to him, and passed him the mug he had left inside.  
"Gilbert said we could borrow it for a bit. It has little bears on it, you like those right?" Matthew swallowed and stared at the dark fluid.  
He just gave a small nod.  
"Hey Mattie, you heard Arthur and me last night right?"  
Another nod.  
"Good. So. What do _you _want for Christmas?"  
Matthew held back a sob, and gulped down his cup of coffee all at once.  
It took a long time for him to answer, but when he did he was determined.  
"I would like to be someone's hero for once."


	3. Chapter 3

**Well there goes my intention to update every day ^^"  
I didn't have any time during christmas, and after that I didn't feel well, and didn't have any inspiration to write,  
But today I did! :D  
So here's chapter three!**

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"So how have you guys known each other?"

Elizabeta asked with a interested smile, she had placed her legs on the sofa and rubbed her socked feet.  
Even though her face was friendly, she had an hard time keeping it straight because of the pain in her ankle.

The men exchanged glances, they had never really thought about it, it was just natural.  
Sometimes someone joined and sometimes somebody suddenly left. It was just like that.  
But for a long time, the men had stayed together in their little group of six, and none of them seemed to have noticed it until now.

"Two years, max. That's me, Artie and Francis though. We met Feli en Kiku sometime later." Alfred explained.

He had convinced Matthew to come back inside, and his brother quietly rested against the Camper's plastic window.

"And Matthew and you are…" Gilbert asked, pointing between the two blonde boys.

Alfred nodded and gave a little smile. "Yeah we're bro's."

Matthew's face fell again, and he turned his gaze to the cars outside.  
He had hoped the subject would be dropped, and even though they didn't get into it, it was still a sensitive topic for him at the moment.

"More coffee anyone?" Gilbert asked, pulling a new can of coffee from under the machine.

Feliciano was the first one to raise his cup back up.  
"Si! Please sir!" he pleaded with a big smile.

Arthur shook his head, he hadn't even touched the liquid yet, and had just played with the cup a little to warm his hands.

Elizabeta tilted her head at him and gave a small chuckle. "Would you like something else Arthur?"

Arthur flushed and shook his head. "Oh- No no don't bother, I'm sorry. I did not mean to be rude."

He looked up as Alfred's mug got a refill, and stared down at his own. Elizabeta kept staring at him encouragingly, and Arthur almost felt oppressed.  
He took the mug in both hands and swallowed a big gulp of the lukewarm fluid.  
The blonde kept a straight face, and even tried to smile a little at Elizabeta, but she wasn't convinced.

When Gilbert walked back with the coffeepot, she poked him in the side.  
Gilbert moved away. "What's up, Liz?" he asked surprised.

Elizabeta shrugged and gestured to Arthur. "Make some tea."

Gilbert chuckled and saluted at her, and Arthur adverted his eyes back to his mug again, embarrassed.

"You want me to take it, Artie?" Alfred asked, already taking the cup away from Arthur's eyeshot

Arthur shrugged, eyes still downcast, and then smiled a little. "If you aren't able to stop yourself.."

Alfred chuckled and patted his head. "No I'm not."

A few minutes later, Arthur had obtained his tea, and while the rest of them chattered away with Elizabeta, Francis had a private conversation with Gilbert in the kitchen.

"Where is it you are going, my friend?" Francis asked, genuinely interested.

Gilbert scratched his neck and gave a small sigh.  
"We're not one hundred per cent sure, I guess we'll go back to my father and my little brother."  
He sighed again, and glanced at the brunette girl. "We probably won't make it in time if Liz keeps us holding up like this."

Francis chuckled. "Well, It is not like you can blame her? A pregnancy is a pretty big thing."

Gilbert nodded, and sat himself down on the kitchen counter.

"How the hell do you guys hold up, though?" Gilbert asked, leaning his head against a cabinet.

Francis snorted. "Just barely. Winter is never a good time. We could use some more blankets, three isn't much for six persons. Food is not a huge problem, we can afford that. We sell, um."  
Francis gave a low chuckle. "We sell recycled cigarettes."

Gilbert frowned and watched the French man curiously. "And people buy that?"

Francis shrugged. "Alfred and I usually sell them. You would be surprised. It's mostly other homeless, and poor people. It actually sells quite well."

Gilbert nodded impressed. "So, are all of you guys adults? The little one doesn't look like one.."

"Feliciano is not, he ran away from home. He was beaten." Francis muttered with a low voice and a shake of his head. "He is only sixteen years old."

Gilbert bit his lip and nodded. "My little brother's his age." He stated matter of factly.

The two stood in silence for a while, before Gilbert jumped up. "I'm pretty sure I got some blankets in here, wait a minute." He started to open a few cabinets, and walked to the back of the RV.

Francis watched the room from where he stood, and noticed some picture frames standing on the counter Gilbert had been sitting on. One of them was Gilbert together with a longhaired blonde, which Francis presumed was his father, and a younger boy, which looked exactly like the older man, without the long haircut. Gilbert was the only one standing out.

Gilbert came back, carrying two blankets in his arms, he saw Francis studying the pictures, and grinned widely.

"Yeah, that's them, don't they look awesome?"  
He took the frame from the counter and stared at it with a warm smile.  
"I can't wait to see them again."

He put the frame down and snickered. "Hey, wanna see where I saved Liz from?"

The albino reached out to grab for another frame, but stopped when Feliciano came running at them excitedly.

"Hey Mister Gilbert? Miss Eliza said you guys were going to Florida, is that true?"

Gilbert grinned at him and nodded. "Yeah, that's the plan. That's where my father lives."

Feliciano's excitement grew, and he smiled brightly. "That's where my brother lives! Elizabeta said I could come along! Oh Gilbert can I please?" The young boy pleaded.

Gilbert grinned with a shrug. "Well .. sure, I don't really mind. Maybe you can help Liz around a little when the baby arrives.."

Francis chuckled and faked a pout. "Are you just going to leave us like that, mon petit frère?"

Feliciano's face fell and he stared at Francis with big teary eyes, before shaking his head harshly.  
"Oh I will miss you guys so much!"

He tackled Francis in a hug and continued to do so with everyone else in the room.

Gilbert chuckled and handed the blankets over to Francis.

"Well I guess this barely makes up for it, huh?" He joked.

Francis smiled, and stroked the fabric of the blankets.  
"We'll miss him. Don't you two fight around too much. He is really bad at handling that."

Gilbert nodded and bit his lip. "I guess we'll try."

The group, reduced by one, watched how the Camper rode off, and saw Feliciano and Elizabeta waving cheerily from inside.  
And they all hoped they would get at their destination before Christmas.  
Francis hugged the blankets to his body, and smiled.

"They are good people."

Arthur simply nodded, and walked back down the hill.  
"They were, and the tea was lovely, but we're off schedule"

Matthew gasped, and quickly turned to the British blond.  
"I have to collect all the buds on my own now, eh?"

Alfred laughed and slapped Matthew's shoulder.  
"Don't worry Mattie, I'll help you out." He said merrily.

Matthew hastily shook his head. He didn't want that.  
"Um, no Al, It's okay. Feliciano wasn't that much of a hard worker anyway. I can handle it."

Arthur turned back around and coughed.  
"There's Christmas sale today, which means lots of leftovers. I think we should all go, we could get ourselves a nice Christmas meal for tomorrow."

Alfred beamed and instantly agreed with an enthusiast nod.  
Francis and Kiku seemed to be okay with it too. So who was Matthew to disagree?

"Matthew?" Arthur asked, curiously tilting his head. "Do you mind?"  
Matthew forced himself to smile slightly and he shook his head. "Of course not."

"Then it's settled. Francis, be a dear and throw those covers over here?"  
He stretched out his arms, and waited for the Frenchman, who threw the blankets down at the blond with a sigh.

"Do you think there'll be enough buds, Mattie?" It didn't rain last night, did it?" Alfred asked his brother, slightly worried.

Matthew shrugged, and gave his brother a reassuring smile.  
"I don't think it did, I guess the odds are in our favour today."

Alfred grinned widely. "Yeah they are huh?"

The walk to the city wasn't a long one, usually it took about a ten minutes to cross the bridge, and ten more to reach the edge of the city.  
After that they just had to pay attention.  
Most cigarette buds weren't worth picking up, but usually the ones in front of shops and smoking prohibited cafeteria, and at parking places, were only just lighted and sometimes not even close to finished.  
Of course they usually got disgusted and curious looks, but they all were way past the thing they called pride.  
All except Arthur.

"Uhmm that one over there… that's a good one right..?"

Arthur hesitantly pointed to one of the cigarette ends lying on the asphalt.  
He and Alfred went to look for cigarettes at the parking place while the rest went in to the city.  
Arthur hadn't picked up even one, and it made Alfred want to tease him with it.

"Yeah dude, it certainly is. Let's give it a name."

He stood still next to Arthur and crossed his arms in front of him, staring down with a grin at the piece of cigarette filter.

Arthur flushed red and punched the American in the shoulder.  
"Don't mock me Alfred."

Alfred shook his head with a loud chuckle, and bent down to pick it up.

"This really goes beyond your standards, doesn't it?"  
He asked, putting the cigarette bud, in the plastic bag Arthur carried.

Arthur shrugged and scanned the ground around him to look for new victims.  
"Maybe a little, but I'll get over it." He muttered embarrassed.

Alfred grinned and bent down again, and Arthur reached out with the bag.  
"I think we're done here though. What's the loot?"

Arthur took a peek inside the bag and squinted his nose at the smell.  
"Um, it's quite some, I'll say about forty?"

"Forty good ones?"

Arthur nodded "Yes, forty good ones, and then some."

"That's good, right?"

Arthur chuckled.  
"It's good, but we're not done. We need to get to the other side of town for the other parking place."

Alfred groaned and ran a hair through his hair.  
"You'll have to help picking them up now, I will need to use this back for a little longer. "

He rubbed it with the back of his hand. "It hurts."

Arthur snorted, and walked a little further. "That's because you don't bent down ergonomically."

Alfred stared at him surprised. "I don't bent what?"

Arthur frowned. "Ergonomically."

"Yeah, What's that?" Alfred asked, even more confused this time.

Arthur opened his mouth to explain, but then sighed.

"You'll get back problems if you keep bending it like that."

He turned back around, and stared at a cigarette bud that was lying a few inches away from his feet.

"Look at me, this is the ergonomical way."

He crouched down, and quickly picked up the bud, directly throwing it in the plastic bag.

When he stood up again he met the American's grinning face, who's owner started clapping slowly for him. He wiped away a fake tear and placed his hand on his heart.

"You did so well, I'm so proud of you."

Arthur flushed again and crossed his arms, turning back on track.

"I don't want to hear that from someone who can't even bend down properly."  
He grunted a bit offended.

Alfred laughed, and swung his arm around the Briton.

"It's going to be an awesome Christmas this year, Artie. Just wait."

Arthur smirked and shrugged the arm off.  
"Right, how far were you with building that mansion again?"

* * *

**Done! Now I don't want to say nothing happened, Because Feliciano is off to a better place, and so are Gil and Liz.  
But.. the plot doesn't thicken untill they actually have their Christmas XD  
Oh and thank you guys so much for reviewing! I love them :D**


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